Dr. Ralph Martello was halfway through college before he gave serious thought to becoming a physician.

"I was going to be a professional golfer," Martello said. "That was my passion. I was good -- but not that good."

Today the pediatrician's passion is treating children and training residents as part of KU Wichita Pediatrics Hospitalists, the physician group that takes care of Wesley Children's inpatient pediatric patients. He seems to enjoy it almost as much as driving a golf ball 280 yards straight down a fairway.

Martello grew up in Miami and went to the University of Florida in Gainesville. After giving up on dreams of professional golf, he gave some thought to what else he was good at: the answer was math and science. He took some pre-med courses while majoring in biology and minoring in philosophy and said he "just excelled at it right away."

Attending medical school turned out to be a good move in another way, too: he met his wife, Sarah, a Derby native, while studying in the library. Sarah, who now teaches tax law at Washburn University in Topeka, was completing a postdoctoral tax law program when the two met.

Martello decided to specialize in pediatrics while doing his rotation in the field.

"The faculty members I was exposed to, those were the people I wanted to be like," he said, citing their "skill in examination, wealth of knowledge and interpersonal relationship with patients. They had the whole package."

Martello also appreciated the way they engaged medical students and residents, and realized that he wanted teaching to be a component of his own career. Martello worked at Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital in Orlando, for a year after residency, then accepted an offer from Wesley. He was attracted by the opportunity to continue teaching, Wesley's plans to build the region's first dedicated children's hospital, and the chance to be near Sarah's family. The couple have a daughter, Emerson, who's 2.

On a recent day, the patients Martello saw included a 15-day-old baby suffering from dehydration caused by diarrhea, a 5-year-old with pneumonia and an 18-year-old vomiting blood because of an ulcer.

"That can be a typical day, with varying degrees of complexity," he said.

Martello and another attending physician typically split about 20 patients per day while accompanied by a senior resident and two to three junior residents. He works with the newer residents on skills like physical examinations and taking oral histories while helping more experienced residents come up with care plans.

Martello is also involved in a research project to reduce the incidence of bronchitis, which often afflicts children under 2 during hospitalization, and in efforts to enhance the curriculum for pediatrics residents.

He wants residents to see how rewarding pediatrics can be, the same way he did with his attending physicians.

"There's this cool relationship with people, and the chance to help them."

Martello stills finds time for golf, too.